Tilting alley games and methods of making and using the same

ABSTRACT

A tilting alley game comprising a plurality of inclined tiltable alleys disposed in proximate parallel position to each other. Apertured barriers provided between alleys. Each alley provided with ball drop holes below the respective aperture such that as a ball rolls down the inclined alley it may be successively transferred to the next adjacent alley via the aperture by appropriately tilting the alley currently traversed, or having missed the aperture the ball falls through the ball drop hole.

United States Patent [1 1 McComber [451 Apr. 29, 1975 TILTING ALLEYGAMES AND METHODS OF MAKING AND USING THE SAME [76] Inventor: KennethMcComber, 2994 Foxwood, St. Louis, Mo. 63042 [22] Filed: Oct. 12, 1973[21] App]. No.: 405,740

[52] US. Cl. 273/110; 273/120 R [51] Int. Cl. A63f 7/16 [58] Field ofSearch 273/110, 113, 117, 120R, 273/122 R [56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 2,003,370 6/1935 Kimball 273/110 X 2.075366 3/1937 Smith273/110 2.152872 4/1939 Cheatham, Jr 273/110 3,416,801 12/1968 McKcown273/110 Primary ExaminerRichard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner- Harry G.Strappello [57] ABSTRACT A tilting alley game comprising a plurality ofinclined tiltable alleys disposed in proximate parallel position to eachother. Apertured barriers provided between alleys. Each alley providedwith ball drop holes below the respective aperture such that as a ballrolls down the inclined alley it may be successively transferred to thenext adjacent alley via the aperture by appropriately tilting the alleycurrently traversed, or having missed the aperture the ball fallsthrough the ball drop hole.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures TILTING ALLEY GAMES AND METHODS OF MAKINGAND USING THE SAME I BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION down the incline tomove laterally. The present invention contemplates control of asuccession of inclined surfaces to move a ball laterally from surface tosurface as it moves down the incline.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the present invention a tilting alley gameis contemplated which provides a plurality of tiltable inclined alleysseparated by apertured barriers such that an operator may move a balllaterally from alley to alley through said apertures as it progressesdown the incline.

It is an object of the present invention to provide such a device whichis simply and easily manufactured.

It is another object of the present invention to provide such a devicewhich requires a reasonable amount of dexterity on the part of anoperator to accomplish the desired goal.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent, reside in the details and construction andoperation more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein likenumerals refer to like parts throughout. and in which;

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of atilting alley game constructed in accordance with and embodying thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of an alley used in the-device shownin FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of the device shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION Referring now in more detail and byreference characters to the drawings which illustrate practicalembodiments of the present invention, FIG, 1 designates, in perspective,a tilting alley device, 1, constructed in accordance with and embodyingthe present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, device. 1, comprises base means. 2, which isprovided with an inclined upper portion, 3, which has mounted thereon aplurality of alley dividers, 4, each of which is provided withapertures, 5, therein. Apertures, 5, may be round as shown orrectangular. Alley dividers, 4, may be attached to base portion. 3, orintegral therewith as shown in FIG. 3.

Disposed between successive alley dividers, 4, are tiltable alleys, 6,which comprise hollow elongated members which are provided with a flatsurface, 8, and rounded surface. 7, and tilting means, 10. Alleys, 6,are provided with ball drop holes, 11, which communicate with ballreturn chambers. 12. Each alley is disposed between dividers, 4, in amanner such that tilting 2. means, 10, is normally "elastically,constrained in an upright position by spring means, 9, in FIG. 3, suchthat an operator may tilt an alley by movement of tilting means, 10,however when the operator's hand is removed the tilting means, 10, willautomatically return to an upright position. v

As shown in FIG. 1, an operator may start the game by depressing Ballstart buttons, 13, which are connected to elongated. rod elements, 14,which are pivotally mounted to base, 3, by pivotal fastener, 15. At theremote ends of rod elements, 14, are attached ball carriers, 17. Ballcarriers, 17, are disposed such that the ball, 18, riding therein isslightly below the alley surface, 8, until button, 13,- is depressed atwhich time, carrier, 17, is elevated allowing ball, 18, to leavecarrier, l7, and progress downward along alley surface, 8. It is theoperators goal to move ball laterally through apertures, 5, from alley,6, to alley, 6, without the ball dropping through ball drop holes, 11.As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 when the ball, 18, drops through a ball drophole, 11, it is returned to the operator via ball re-' turn chute, 21,which is constructed so as to incline from the center of device, 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the incline of the alleys, 6, may be adjusted bybracket, 16, and fastener, 20.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that changes and modifications in theform, construction, arrangement and combination of the parts and stepsof tilting alley game and methods of making and using the same may besubstituted for those herein shown and described without departing fromthe nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A ball drop game device comprising,

a base means, said base means provided with an inclined upper surface,

a plurality of elongated vertical barrier means mounted upon said uppersurface of said base means, said elongated vertical barrier meansthereby forming a plurality of elongated parallel channels upon theupper surface of said base means, said upper surface provided with aplurality of arcuate recesses corresponding with said channels,

a plurality of alley means, said alley=means provided with tilting meansfor laterally tilting said alley means and the alley means beingtiltably mounted on said upper portion of said base means and beingprovided with drop holes in said alley means, said alley means disposedwithin said channels and said alley means provided with arcuate lowersurfaces adapted to conform to the arcuate recesses,

ball starter means operably mounted on said base means,

the aforesaid barrier means provided with apertures therein, saidapertures located so as to precede the aforesaid drop holes down theinclined surface such that as a ball rolls down an inclined alley meansit may be successively transferred to the next adjacent alley means viathe aperture by appropriately tilting laterally the alley meanscurrently traversed. and ball return means for returning a ball to theoperator.

2. A ball drop game device as described in claim 1 and spring meansoperably mounted to said tilting means and said vertical barrier meansand adapted to elastically restrain said alley means in an untiltedattitude.

3. A ball drop game device as described in claim 2 wherein said alleymeans are each provided with an elongated chamber therein said chambercommunicating with said drop holes and said ball return means.

4. A ball drop game device as described in claim 3 wherein said ballreturn means comprises an elongated chute disposed transverse to saidalley means proxi- LII Lil

LII

provided on said base means proximate the upper end of said alley means.an elongated member pivotally mounted on said base means and disposedsuch that it is operably attached at one end to said ball holding meansand the other end is near the lower end of said alley means.

1. A ball drop game device comprising, a base means, said base meansprovided with an inclined upper surface, a plurality of elongatedvertical barrier means mounted upon said upper surface of said basemeans, said elongated vertical barrier means thereby forming a pluralityof elongated parallel channels upon the upper surface of said basemeans, said upper surface provided with a plurality of arcuate recessescorresponding with said channels, a plurality of alley means, said alleymeans provided with tilting means for laterally tilting said alley meansand the alley means being tiltably mounted on said upper portion of saidbase means and being provided with drop holes in said alley means, saidalley means disposed within said channels and said alley means providedwith arcuate lower surfaces adapted to conform to the arcuate recesses,ball starter means operably mounted on said base means, the aforesaidbarrier means provided with apertures therein, said apertures located soas to precede the aforesaid drop holes down the inclined surface suchthat as a ball rolls down an inclined alley means it may be successivelytransferred to the next adjacent alley means via the aperture byappropriately tilting laterally the alley means currently traversed, andball return means for returning a ball to the operator.
 2. A ball dropgame device as described in claim 1 and spring means operably mounted tosaid tilting means and said vertical barrier means and adapted toelastically restrain said alley means in an untilted attitude.
 3. A balldrop game device as described in claim 2 wherein said alley means areeach provided with an elongated chamber therein said chambercommunicating with said drop holes and said ball return means.
 4. A balldrop game device as described in claim 3 wherein said ball return meanscomprises an elongated chute disposed transverse to said alley meansproximate to the lower end of said alley means and further having ballstop means.
 5. A ball drop game device as described in claim 4 whereinsaid ball starter means comprises recessed ball holding means disposedproximate to ball entry means provided on said base means proximate theupper end of said alley means, an elongated member pivotally mounted onsaid base means and disposed such that it is operably attached at oneend to said ball holding means and the other end is near the lower endof said alley means.